National MP’s Asked To Stand Strong on Marriage

Media Release 23 August 2012“Marriage is an institution of the church, I don’t think it is necessary to have that label put on every relationship”Family First NZ is calling on National MP’s to reject Louisa Wall’s private members bill redefining marriage, and asking them to vote consistently with previous votes on the issue of marriage.

“The majority of National MP’s voted for the Marriage (Gender Clarification) Amendment Bill put forward in 2005 to clarify marriage as one man and one woman. And all National MP’s who were in Parliament at the time of the Civil Unions debate voted against the bill,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ.

“We would ask them to stand strong and send this bill to the dust-heap where it belongs – and continue to focus their energies and time on the restoration of Christchurch, family poverty and breakdown, child abuse, and negotiating the country through the effects of the world recession.”

“Marriage is a social practice and every culture in every time and place has had some institution that resembles what we know as marriage, associated with the potential for procreation. Same-sex couples have the option of civil unions to recognise their relationship so there is no need for redefining marriage. It appears that National MP’s have understood this concept and we would encourage them to resist any pressure from within the party organization or from the leadership on this issue,” says Mr McCoskrie.

QUOTES OF INTEREST:Hon JOHN KEY (National)2006 “Marriage is an institution of the church, I don’t think it is necessary to have that label put on every relationship.”2008 “I don’t think there’s a real need to change the current legislation or to adopt new legislation.”

GERRY BROWNLEE (National)1st Reading Civil Unions Bill “Marriage exists essentially for the protection of children, and, as I said at the start, this country is increasingly putting unacceptable pressures on children. Any measure that cheapens the environment that is best for children to grow up in shows very, very poor leadership. I will not be voting for this bill.”

Hon Dr NICK SMITH (National):3rd Reading Civil Unions Bill “There is a simple, historical quid pro quo: that this Parliament provide, in the law of the land, special recognition of marriage, because marriage between a man and a woman is the beginning of the next generation of a family and of the future of our country.”

CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON (National):Marriage (Gender Clarification) Amendment Bill 2005 “I believe that marriage is a union between a man and a woman, and I could not support any attempt to amend the Marriage Act to accommodate marriages between persons of the same sex. … (W)e have all received correspondence in recent days from people who genuinely believe that same-sex marriage is just around the corner. … Same-sex marriage is not around the corner.”